Policy

LDP hegemony breaks; multipartism rises Japan political diversification is reshaping education Act now: language support, student metrics, local compacts Japan's politics are not just shifting to the right; they are changing dramatic

Aging erodes productivity and growth Migration buys time, not productivity—see Singapore Youthful regions gain only if they scale learning, health, and adoption In the economies from the Baltics to the Balkans,

Asian subsidies—especially in steel—distort prices and trade Make subsidies conditional on training and shared curricula Compete on skills to cut tariffs and lift productivity Two numbers tell the story.

Industrial subsidy wars starve education just as industry needs more skilled workers Rivalry is shifting from price to rules, making compliance and MRV literacy essential Redirect subsidies into a “Skills Safe Harbor” that funds verifiable training and apprenticeships

A 15% global minimum tax cuts shifting and anchors profits to real activity More onshore earnings strengthen in-house finance and level competition; havens shrink The U.S.

Osaka second capital now anchors a fragile coalition Capital shift could widen or rebalance regional education Classrooms can use this debate to teach coalition politics Japan’s new government was formed with two seats short.

Japan–China tensions are now a social problem; deterrence alone cannot steady the region Dedicate a sliver of rising defense spend to history education, exchanges, and crisis literacy Pair hard power with hard learning so classrooms absorb shocks instead of amplifying them

Korea’s strong healthcare still leaves families exposed to severe income loss from serious illness Health shocks cut wages, pushing seniors and students into long-term financial strain Korea must pair universal care with robust income protection to prevent poverty after illness

Russia–North Korea ties and Arctic shipping are reshaping the US–South Korea alliance The Northern Sea Route turns the Arctic into a new strategic front Education and policy must integrate Arctic routes into Korean security planning

China quietly rations rare earths through strict export paperwork, not formal bans Its dominance in mining and magnet production turns bureaucracy into global leverage Schools and policymakers must plan for lasting supply risk and build alternative sources

The US relies on an H-1B talent pipeline its schools cannot replace New H-1B fees push global talent toward rival countries building strong education–innovation systems Without opening visas and fixing public education, the US will lose its tech edge

Military spending is surging, and the Russia–China axis tightens A Germany–Japan security alliance is lawful, networked, and unlike the 1930s Link logistics, energy, and industry to turn budgets into credible deterrence In 2024, th

Public R&D crowd-in effect primes private investment and productivity growth Cuts and freezes break the catalyst, raising risk and slowing diffusion Protect catalytic grants, require private matching, and use procurement to anchor demand

India hedges: the U.S.

Asia practiced tariff diplomacy: public deference, private deals China’s rare-earth grip set the terms, yielding a short truce and modest tariff relief Schools should hedge purchases and teach the supply-chain math behind these negotiations

China’s global economic influence creates shared dependence It reshapes rich-country industry and developing-country debt Open-source AI deepens this reliance, making resilience vital In 2023, China accounted for about

Globalization shifts tasks to cheaper hubs while people move unevenly Left-behind places lose jobs and grow politically angry Insure workers, boost mobility, and invest in local productivity The narrative about regional bac

Private school subsidies risk emptying public schools by erasing price differences Competition will shift to entrance exams and prep, as Korea shows Link subsidies to fair admissions and fee caps, invest in public quality, and track enrolment

Japan’s new PM locks in a hard-line, US-aligned stance Japan–China ties enter “stable instability” as ASEAN/Seoul outreach continues Schools and policymakers must harden compliance and diversify partnerships Only 13% o

ASEAN needs its own stability fund to protect trade during crises Europe shows that regional firewalls boost confidence An ASEAN-led design would secure faster, fairer support In 2022, the global